the list

I mentioned awhile back that a bunch of cool kids on the internets are doing a '52 Things to Do in 52 Weeks' list. I created a list, not necessarily 52 things to do in 52 weeks, but a list of things to do nonetheless...

1) go to Disneyland
2) go to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz
3) wine tasting in Napa/castle in Napa
4) run Santa Cruz 1/2 marathon
5) go to Texas to visit Dad
6) go to the Disneyland Museum in San Francisco
7) go to the American Crafts Council show @ Ft. Mason
8) go to the Renegade Craft Show or Bazaar Bizarre
9) go to an art & wine festival
10) go to Tapestry in Talent
11) go to the beach
12) hike (not run) Rancho, PG&E or other trail
13) play with camera/take more pictures/bokeh/holga/dualflex/ttv
14) go to Virginia City, NV ghost hunting!!!
15) go toSedona, AZ
16) do the Hood to Coast Relay/Portland
17) write a letter, an actual letter, not email/text, etc...
18) build my mudbench
19) put shelves in bedroom
20) clean and organize the garage
21) finish baby afghan
22) stick vinyl birds on the wall
23) make butterfly garland for Annie
24) Barbie exhibit in SF
25) go see Alice in Wonderland
26) go see Avatar
27) go wine tasting locally
28) cook
29) go to Morro Bay
30) go to Utah
31) go to Arkansas
32) go to Mendocino
33) buy a new car
34) work on my spirituality (go to {an alternative} church?)
35) run Disneyworld Wine & Dine 1/2 marathon
36) create photo heart over bed
37) all day movie day
38) sleep in on a weekend day instead of getting up to work out
39) all day scrap day
40) fix headliner in car (maybe not, see #33)
41) volunteer
42) make mini album(s)
43) celebrate my birthday, really celebrate it...
44) lose 10 pounds (sigh)
45) go see the Big Foot Discovery Project in Felton
46) buy nice looking jeans that fit!
47) give blood every 56 days
48) get a pet rat
49) have ladies over for tea
50) bake and ship cookies to my Dad
51) Tasmania to visit Sharmaine and the girls! (I don't need #33, right?! hee!)
52)

I found a home for my finished baby afghan...Some of the ladies at work started a project where they make and deliver baby blankets to a local hospital. Happy for that. Just started on #2

: .)

ATC trading with the supah talented!

Finally getting around to posting pixs of the ATCs I got in a trade with Danica.

Luckily for me, D came up with some great prompts! She's sooooo creative!

I blew out the exposure on this first ATC, which ended up being a good thing b/c you can see the detail. The prompt was to do an all black card with different textures (Use your imagination here to visualize the black part : .) The background is a glossy black card with black textured cardstock strips stitched on, glitter, melted crayon, and a mini doily, very cool!


Card two's prompt was A Christmas Story, the Movie. Recognize the lamp? heheheheh! So many details...from the ribbon, bow, bingo card background, and the fir peace wreath! Love it!


On this ATC, we were to use a "found" object. The object could be anything, but something not typically used in mixed media. This "card" is made from a record, with a spray painted scroll and some stickers. Clever!!!

This prompt was to create a card that was "inspired by" something else...other art, a book, music, etc...D's card "Shine" was inspired by the Ezra Jack Keats children's book Snowy Day. Love the collagey-ness and the use of colored tissue paper. This card is way more brilliantly colored, I guess I overexposed this one too, darn it!


The final card was Twilight/Vampire inspired. You can see D's sense of humor, as well as her intelligence here (butterflies and metamorphosis!)...Obviously, I love it, and y'all know why!!! LOL!!!

Danica also decorates the backs of the card and I have to admit, I almost liked the backs better than the fronts!!! Is that annoying D???!!! hee!!!

You can see the cards I made for D on her blog...

I'm ready for my next trade Mr. DeVille!

* * * * *

Other good things from this week!!!

Foothill College held a little reception for the student art show on display in the library on campus today. My mentor, Linda remembered to invite me yesterday as she had submitted two of my pieces (pixs later!)! LOL! I took a half day vacation from work and drove over, met a couple of really great young artists and had some good grub! Then I went to the trail and got in a 5 mile run! whoo hoo!!! Perfect weather, cloudy and cool!

Had an awesome cycle class on Tuesday even tho' I got a migraine afterward. I had to stop by Kath's and she mothered me. (Sometimes you need a little TLC!) Thanks Kath!!!

Monday, I stopped by Als and we chit-chatted and compared baby afghan stories. She's almost done with hers and she just started a week ago! sheesh! I always love seeing her and Joe and Alma June, who gives the best grandma hugs!!!

Tomorrow is another cycle class and then I'm looking forward to the weekend. Its a step back week in training, which means the long run is only 7 miles this Saturday. I think I might go back to Stanford and do the hills loop again or maybe I'll just do FLAT! I need to finish a couple of pieces for art class and I want to cook! I found this recipe for Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Portobellos (vegetarian!!!). I can't wait to try it!

bright, bright, bright sun-shiny day!!!

Last Saturday, I created quite the drama for myself. Things came to a head in a particular relationship and I EXPLODED without warning. (Anger issues? I seem to be doing that a lot lately, hummmm...I think its because I've found my voice.)

Now, I am training (500 miles thank you) and running 26.2 miles in April on my own. (Actually, still deciding on whether or not to do the race, because I am still mad about spending all that $ on a race I was reticent to do in the first place!)

While I admit, I could have acted in a manner that preserved feelings all around (and thought of a better way to say what I had to say), I'm glad for a resolution to a situation that I had been struggling with for quite some time. Although I had to walk through the subsequent remorse, anger, fall-out, guilt, sadness, and tears the entire past week, externally processing all the while, (because, in the end, I am a complete and utter ubersensitive) I was reminded...

• No one is allowed to decide for me;
• I need to listen to my intuition;
  
• Sometimes hoping for the best is hopeless;
  
• I have choices and I need to choose what is best for ME, not anyone else;
• To continue to be direct and not let things simmer until they boil, stop being passive and hoping it'll all just go away;
  
• If someone brings out the worst in me, maybe I should rethink the relationship & GET OUT QUICK!
  

A friend who knows me very well asked if this event would affect my running in the future, would I continue to dwell on it and be angry, and I got worried about that too (you know how we women hang onto things and process them over and over and over...), but Saturday morning I HAD THE BEST RUN I'VE HAD IN A REALLY LONG TIME!!! No worries!

Again, I should have listened to my intuition. My solitary workouts are so important. My happy pace is so important. My unequivocal joy in running alone is so important. Listening to my breathing instead of inane, egocentric chatter is so important.

Phew!

A learning experience for sure. I hope it makes me a better person. A thoughtful person.

For sure I am a work in progress!

(Edited on Sunday: Today's 10 miles of hills [seriously, uphill all the way! LOL!] was amazing! I ran at the Stanford Dish and could see practically the entire bay area from the top! The impending storm held off. I am so glad that I did in on my own! Next time I have to remember my camera!!!)

the good, the bad & the ugly...

Some pixs & thots I forgot to post!

the good...
chili with chocolate & cornbread muffins, made much more tasty by sharing
: .)

the bad...
there's still broken glass everywhere!

the ugly...
why is it sometimes what we ask for, ends up not being what we want?

I wanna go to Disneyland!!!

sweetness in design

sigh.
Papercuts by Joe on Etsy


so cool! I especially like the tree version.
[custom art]
i love life - Kal Barteski

be still my heart!
debee ruiz is one of my fav mixed media artists!

belladrummer on Etsy

thinkin' of red & white & pink & hearts & roses & imagining those valentines cards I want to make!

sheesh, just make something!

I made some atcs!

a little late on the re-post...

not exactly sure where this originated in terms of the blog-o-sphere/tumblr and aside from the broadcast & utube, but here are some links back from where it might have previously been posted: artislovely:fabulously-freckled:allthingsalishan:experiencethewarmth:thepo:februaryfebruary:nyclust:loafersansock (just giving credit : .)

Keith Olbermann. So well said.

Bring on the Weekend!!!

Good stuffs this week:

Friday is the day for Starbucks EGTL love. As I mentioned previously, it was imperative that I cut back on my consumption. Ok, the spending, so Fridays and Saturdays have been designated "the days." Anticipation is great!!! I can't wait!!!

Skinny Cows are wonderful! 2 WW points each!!! YUM!!!

Drinking wine with good friends ROCKS! Toasted Head Chard and chips & salsa at Chilis!!! (Hence, the 2 point Skinny Cows!)

Dinner with Speedy was oiishi-des!!! Grilled fish tacos! Good conversation, I like how his brain works!!

Had a couple of silly convos with the Rock Star this week! Gawd, I am crushing hard!!! Its all fantasy tho', sigh... One can dream, right? hee!!!

Cycle class, 60 minutes of SWEAT!

Treadmill core workouts with the medicine ball.

Sharks vs the Redwings, and the Bruins! whoo!!!

9 miles of hill running @ Rancho to look forward to, I hope it doesn't rain!

Trade cards from Danica!!! She's such a talented woman!

Enjoying vicarious motherhood thru blogging : .) (Thanks for "sharing" your kid, D! He's soooooo cuuuuutttteeeee!)

A bunch of cool kids on the internets are doing a '52 Things to Do in 52 Weeks' list. I like lists so I created one of my own. I might even accomplish something from the list this weekend and get to have the satisfaction of crossing it off!!!

One damper on the week was the shattering of one of my shower doors. I do not know! I was asleep on the couch downstairs, and awakened by BAM! and something that sounded like marbles trickling into the tub. Ghost Hunters was on the tube. It was suggested by a couple of people that it was a paranormal event (heheh!), but I read online that tempered glass occasionally has metallic inclusions in it that might cause the glass to shatter. I'm still a bit discomboobulated and anxious about the expense of replacement, but its a good experience, yeah? The joys of homeownership! As I was sweeping up the glass this morning, I thot "How are the Haitians cleaning up?" The perspective was welcome! It made my problem quite small in comparison. Thanks Universe!!!

Monday off!!! Must consider the reason...

Happy Friday!

Yup, the pix is a gratuitous lift of an Elsie Flannigan photo booth pix...I'm not that creative or cute!!!

southern greens blend

My fud friend, Joe (that's Trader Joe!) sells this blend of mustard, turnip, collard greens and spinach. I put it in everything...eat it cooked, chop it into bits and mix it with brown rice and tuna, yum!!!

Today I read the package and it said "For cooking."

What?! Am I gonna take a bath in it? Use it as stuffing for my pillow? Get rid of bags under my eyes?!

ha ha!!!

Got an assignment for art class done today.

Spent 1.5 hours at the gym! Rocked the core workout!

Ran into an old friend, Jessica. She's sooooo beautiful!

Ate tangerines!

Organized bills and ppr work for taxes! Yipee!!!

: .)

pix from the daily green.

robert & jude

Hot.

I was kinda bored during the movie, but I did like this scene ; .)

Sherlock Holmes is handcuffed to a bed, naked with only a pillow covering him. A maid walks in, sees him and screams...

Holmes sez "Madame, I need you to remain calm and trust me, I'm a professional. Beneath this pillow lies the key to my release."

The maid screams and runs away.

She was waaaayyyy toooo modest!!!

Admittedly, there were great special effects, graphics, and fight scenes. Jack smacked me in the knee when we first saw RD Jr. without his shirt. {It was in reference to my GASP during the scene in New Moon where we got a close-up of Jacob's six pack abs! heheheh!!!}

Other good things from today:

1 - Rancho! 7.5 miles of hills, hills, hills!!!
2 - Lucas and his Juey-Juey! (The monkey I gave him when he was born, his comfort object : .)
3 - My new deck and cute construction worker types. They have to finish on Monday, I might have to call in sick, uh stay home and supervise the finish ; .)
4 - Turquoise, leopard print scrapbook paper.
5 - Clean fuds...Tuna, greens, tomatoes, and brown rice, yum!!!

Thank goodness for weekends!

things must change...

I either need a new job or a attitude overhaul.

I haven't been going with the flow.

I need to be the river, not the rock.

I'm hoping its just this week, transistioning back to a schedule.

* * * * *

work aside, good things did occur today!

giggles with kris ('naval' aviators! heheheh!)
kath, love her, sister of my heart
shiny new dental work
mike & eddie
and
run with speedy...awesome!
: .)

edited: and...life continues to surprise & charm me!

arriba andele andele!!!

me & speedy.

dinner.

let's see what develops ; .)

2010 - Let's Get This Party Started

Happy New Year!!! (toot! ; .)

{love, love, love}